§ Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Defence if members of the British Armed Forces have taken part in the military operations launched against the rebels in Dhofar by the Sultan of Oman in October; and if any casualties were sustained.
§ Mr. MasonVolunteers on loan from the British Armed Forces to the Sultan of Oman are fully integrated into his forces and some take part in military operations against the rebels in Dhofar. Details of particular operations in Dhofar are, however, a matter for the Sultan, but I can confirm that there were no casualties among loan Service personnel in October. British forces stationed in Oman provide direct assistance to the Sultan in the operation and defence of Salalah airfield, the training of the Sultan's armed forces, and in civil and military engineering projects.
Inevitably they sometimes come under attack, and regrettably eight members of the British Army Training Team were injured, one of them seriously, on 28th October when the vehicle in which they were travelling hit a mine on a road in an area thought to be safe. I am pleased to say that they are all making a satisfactory recovery.